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The author points to a cultural problem at large--the fetishization of food. I grew up in a household where food was held in such high regard and there was an obsessive focus on quality, experimentation with recipies, viewing of cooking shows, shopping, etc. How does this environment affect children? Until about a year ago, my sister was morbidly obese and I had a several year struggle with bulimia. My teeth are relics of my bulimic past with over 3k in dental work. It wasn't until my late 20's that I realized food is merely fuel. When I visit my family, I am often disgusted with their constant talk about food. They never want to discuss politics, art, or literature. Their myopic world renders them unrelatable to me. My father hardly reads anymore. Besides candy making, my parents' marriage is devoid of any real pleasure. As both my parents' health deteriorates due to diabetes and other obesity related illnesses, food reigns supreme. This isn't just about my family, I have co-workers who consantly obsess about what they are going to cook for dinner. I have one co-worker in particular who is an extreme food snob and only buys his baby food from a high-end organic store.
Sadly, it is very difficult to have a relationship with these people because when you try to talk about something else the food obessessed tend to change the subject or stare at you blankly.
